Macedonian and European champions Vardar has advanced to the EHC Champions League Final Four tournament after squeezing past Germany's Kiel on away goals. Vardar lost 28:27 in Skopje on Sunday but advanced to the Final Four for the second year running after beating Kiel in the first leg 29:28. In a tight match in front of a packed Jane Sandanski hall, no team led by more than three goals. The guests managed to take the lead in the dying seconds, but Vardar held on. Vuko Borozan was Vardar's leading scorer with six goal…
Milenko Nedelkovski, one of the most prominent Macedonian journalists has had all of his social media profiles blocked by the SDS’ Ministry of Interior led by Oliver Spasovski. According to the criminal junta currently acting as “Government” in Macedonia, Nedelkovski’s cardinal sin were not his frequent opinions where he opposes EU and NATO, but the truth bomb he delivered in an interview with Russian State TV “Rossiya 24” where he opined that the criminal junta is just an extension of the American Deep State through its CIA operative…
In a speech on April 15th, 2018, as reported in the Athens newspaper ‘Kathimerini’, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Greece and Turkey to improve their relations and also stated that their current difficulties which have led to a military fatality last week are not a matter for NATO. At first sight this is a reasonable point of view, from a distinguished international figure and is a view that should be respected. But it is also bound to raise the issue in people’s minds, ’What is NATO actually for’ when two NATO members …
The bank accounts of Copper Investments (COPIN), the investor in Macedonia’s Kazandol mining project via its subsidiary Sardich MC, have been blocked since April 12 and the company’s employees are not receiving their salaries, local media reported. Copper Investments is the owner of Sardich MC company, reportedly set up with British and Ukrainian capital, which started developing the Kazandol mining complex in southern Macedonia. However, the Macedonian government decided on March 27 to annul the concession agreement on the exploratio…
We have to be careful and creative in finding a solution to the name issue. Timeframe is very important for making decisions, PM Zoran Zaev said in Sunday’s interview with RFE/RL's Balkan Service. " Most probably the final decision [on a name change] will be tied to the vote by Macedonia, by its citizens, on handing over some sovereignty to the European Union, on becoming an EU member -- something that we want to see. Then this has to be reflected in the constitution. This is the likely way for a solution to be found, because …
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told Sunday’s interview with RFE/RL's Balkan Service that eight foreign companies made decisions to invest in Macedonia and are awaiting confirmation from the parent companies to sign the contracts. “We signed 10 contracts with foreign investors in ten months, and additional negotiation teams of eight companies decided to invest in Macedonia and are awaiting confirmation from parent companies to authorize them to sign the contracts. We are also negotiating with 200 companies. And probably this is not only…
The Macedonian Ministry of Finance announced Tuesday the introduction of 30-year state treasury bonds for the first time. The country sold 19.5 million euro (around 24 million U.S. dollars) bonds at an interest rate of 4.85 percent. This is a signal for investor confidence in the Macedonian economy, the Finance Ministry said, revealing that investor demand is twice what the country has issued. Investors are private pension companies and insurance companies, the ministry added. "Macedonia's economy is back on track as the ec…
Businessmen from Iran consider Macedonia a gateway to the region and Europe in general. On the other hand, due to its central location and geo-strategic importance sharing borders with dozen countries, Iran offers a myriad of opportunities for the companies in Macedonia. This was stated Thursday by Gholamhossein Shafei, head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, at a business forum in the Economic Chamber of Macedonia. Trade exchange between the countries, he said, is symbolic and an initiative shou…
Macedonia and Croatia have exceptionally friendly relations and no open issues. Croatia is a great champion of Macedonia's EU and NATO integration, while open issues with other countries should not stand in the way but solved in parallel with the accession talks, agreed President Gjorge Ivanov and Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic after a meeting in Skopje on Thursday. " We salute the European Commission recommendation for the opening of Macedonia's EU accession talks and Croatia will do everything in its powe…
It's only up to Macedonia and the 29 NATO members to make decisions about the country's membership into the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday. At a news conference a day ahead of a NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, when asked to comment on remarks of the Russian Ambassador to Macedonia that the country could become 'a legitimate target' in times of conflict as soon as it joined the Alliance, the NATO Secretary General responded: "The whole idea that Russia will not accept some countries to join NATO …
Special Rapporteur for Macedonia in the European Parliament Ivo Vajgl, in an interview for MIA, said that there is a real chance that EU leaders give Macedonia a green light and a date for negotiations as soon as this summer. He pointed out that the EP has long pushed for the negotiations and the name solution to go together as a package deal if the dispute with Greece was not settled by then. “ Now it's the European Council’s turn to have its say ," Vajgl said. “ I believe that enough progress has been made; there is no …
Greece has made concessions in the name talks and now Skopje should do what’s necessary for reaching an agreement, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos told a press briefing on Wednesday, MIA reports from Athens. Asked about his expectations from today’s fresh round of name talks in Vienna,Tzanakopoulos reiterated Greece’s positions for possible settlement of Athens-Skopje row over Macedonia’s name, i.e. a compound name and its overall use at home and abroad (erga omnes). ‘These two preconditions for settling the disp…
UN envoy Matthew Nimetz said after a meeting with Macedonian and Greek Foreign Ministers, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias respectively, that they held intensive talks during which both sides showed mutual respect. " Both sides are committed to reaching a solution and the process will continue in the coming weeks ," said after the meeting that took place in the UN Office in Vienna. He added these meetings have intensified in recent months, while issues discussed are already familiar. FMs Dimitrov and Kotzias failed …
A monument made of granite from Macedonia and stone from France with the names inscribed of Macedonian men and women - victims of the First World War - was unveiled Wednesday in Bitola. The monument was created by high school students from France who cooperated with their peers in Bitola. The memorial has been erected to testify about the events of WWI and the Macedonian Front. " It is a monument to raise awareness about peace and the joint commitment from the French to the Macedonian Front, " France's Ambassador Chr…
On a joint press conference on tuesday, Zoran Zaev and former NATO Secretary General, Lord George Robertson, promoted the “Ohrid Group” in support of Macedonia on its path to NATO and EU membership “ There are members in this group who have made a mark with their diplomatic careers and supported our efforts to build a democratic, stable and prosperous country. They are here to support our membership in the EU and NATO ”, said Zaev. The group, with the exception of Lord George Robertson, includes former EU High Representative for C…
Paleontologists from Bulgaria and Macedonia are excavating the fossilized remains of a prehistoric elephant believed to pre-date the mammoth, after its bones were discovered accidentally by a man working in a field. Scientists at the Natural Science Museum of Macedonia and the Natural History Museum of Sofia said Tuesday they began excavating the skeleton in Dolni Disan in central Macedonia last Friday. They estimated the animal would have weighed about 10 tons and have been about 50 years old at the time of its death, roughly 8 milli…
The foreign ministers of Greece and Macedonia are slated to meet later this week under the auspices of the United Nations in a fresh attempt to resolve the so-called name dispute, which has been an obstacle to Macedonia’s efforts to join NATO and the European Union, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Monday, cited by Sputnik. "I want to flag to you a meeting that will take place in Vienna this Wednesday. Matthew Nimetz, the personal envoy of the secretary-general, will meet jointly with Nikos Kotzias, the minister o…
EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn expects the name issue between Macedonia and Greece to be resolved within the next two weeks. – I am optimistic that in the next two weeks a solution will be found for the name or at least a solution that will pave the way for starting accession negotiations with Macedonia. I think that everyone agrees that it would be useful for the country and for the entire region of the Western Balkans, Hahn told the Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament. Hahn pointed out that Macedonia s…
Nikola Dimitrov, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, has told parliamentarians in Strasbourg of a “new positive momentum” in his country as it emerges from political crisis and seeks EU membership. “ I can say with strong confidence that we have achieved a real breakthrough, progress that we can be proud of, ” he said, citing positive assessments from the EU and others. “ The situation in the country has turned in a positive direction. ” Mr Dimitrov listed the steps his government was taking to build good relations with…
The average monthly net salary paid per employee in February 2018 was MKD 23,158. This is a significant decrease compared to the previous month, January when the State Statistical Office reported that the average net salary amounted to MKD 24,025. The Ministry of Finance fell short of explaining the reason for this serious decrease in the average salary of over MKD 850 or somewhere around 3.5%. Last month, at a press conference, the Ministry of Finance said that the average salary went over MKD 24,000.
Goods estimated at half a billion euros have been exported in the first three months of 2018 by the companies currently operating in the free economic zones in Macedonia. Johnson Matthey, the British company that opened plants in the Skopje industrial zone, is singled out as being the largest exporter of goods. “The positive trend of exporting from the technological and industrial zones is resuming. Foreign direct investments have completely altered the structure of Macedonian export. Exchange has become more balanced, the country exp…
Macedonia imports fewer cars with each coming year. The Customs Administration shows that 2,615 fewer cars were registered last year than in 2016, and a drastic 31,033 fewer than in 2010 when the preferential import of used cars was allowed. Used cars still make for the largest number of cars imported, but their number has been decreasing significantly year by year. When comparing 2017 and 2016, there were 2,925 fewer used cars imported last year and 419 more new cars. The downward trend is a result of both diminished interest …
The UN mediator in Macedonia-Greece negotiations on settling the name dispute, Matthew Nimetz, will meet the Foreign Ministers of both countries, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias respectively, on 25 April in Vienna. The meeting is part of United Nations' ongoing efforts to assist the sides in finding a mutually acceptable solution to the 'name' issue, the UN said Monday in a press release.
Vardar beat Germany's Kiel away 29:28 in the first leg of the handball champions league quarterfinals on Sunday. Vardar took an early lead and held a two-goal advantage at halftime (13:11) but Kiel came back and took a three-goal lead midway through the second period. However, the European champions did not crumble under pressure and scored the winning goal in the final seconds. Moraes, Stoilov and Cupic were Vardar's leading scorers with five each, while Vujin, Bilyk and Ekberg scored four each for Kiel. The return le…
Year of the Monkey, directed and written by Vladimir Blaževski, will make its world premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival on Monday. The Moscow International Film Festival is the second oldest film festival in the world. It was founded in 1935 and is ranked on the 'A' list of film festivals. Year of the Monkey will be shown as part of the festival's official Special Screenings selection today at 6 pm and tomorrow at 4 pm. The movie had its Macedonian premiere last Thursday at the 21st Skopje Film Festi…
The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia (NBRM) presented Monday the first polymer banknotes in denomination of Denar 10 and Denar 50, which will be put into circulation as of May 15. The difference between polymer and paper notes is the material used for their printing, whereat polymer banknotes are made from polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene. Instead of watermark included in paper notes, polymer banknotes will contain a transparent window in which all recognizable elements from their original design. A styli…
New highway section Demir Kapija – Smokvica, which is part of the Pan-European Corridor X, will be officially opened Monday. The highway section is 28km long and total cost is estimated at €270 million of which €107 are provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), €130 million from European Investment Bank, €45 million are EU grant and €6 million are funds from budget of the Republic of Macedonia. The highway includes two interchanges, including one at Miravci and one at Smokvica, two twin-tube tunnels,…
The Macedonian government and the European Investment Bank (EIB) will invest around 17 million euros (20 million U.S. dollars) in the construction of sewer and water supply systems in Macedonia, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Saturday. Zaev confirmed that all municipalities will be included in this investment. This investment intends to bring equitable development, in rural areas as well and will improve living standards. Through the investment, the coverage of sewage and water systems will increase from the actual 1…
A professor and a historian in Greece have released a book, an 'easy read' in a question-and-answer format to try and solve some of the most prominent dilemmas involving Macedonia and the name dispute to the Greeks. University professor Dimitris Hristopoulos and historian Kostis Karpozilos said they were inspired to write "10+1 Questions and Answers About The Macedonian Issue" after the protests organized to 'defend Macedonia'. The authors, amongst other things, elaborate issues related to the Macedonian lang…
Government spokesman Mile Bosnjakovski confirmed that a new meeting between the foreign ministers of Macedonia and Greece, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias will take place at the end of the month, but that the exact date has not yet been confrmed. “ There will be a new meeting by the end of the month, and the date still needs to be confirmed between the foreign ministers. We are still great optimists, as the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia have announced, we are looking for and expectin…
Macedonia has never been closer to solving its 25-year name row with Greece, but even if it fails Skopje will continue to integrate with Europe, its premier says. “ I believe that we have never had better circumstances to find a complete solution that will last for centuries and will remain forever, ” Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told AFP in an interview. The long-running name dispute between Macedonia and EU-member Greece dates back to 1991 when Skopje declared independence following the collapse of communist Yugoslavia, AFP reporte…
The US Department of State released its reports on human rights practices for 2017 with the report on Macedonia noting that the most significant human rights issues included reports of torture by prison guards, interference with privacy, violence against journalists, lack of judicial independence, corruption, and violence against LGBTI persons. "The government took some steps to investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who committed abuses, including police officials guilty of excessive force, but impunity continued to be a w…
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